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NDC team pushes for change of election petition panel members

Headlines NDC team pushes for change of election petition panel members
JAN 16, 2021 LISTEN

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) legal team is advocating for a change in the composition of the panel that will hear the substantive matters in the 2020 election petition currently before it.

According to the Director of Legal Affairs of the NDC, Abraham Amaliba, the exercise of the discretion by the Chief Justice to put together a 7 member panel was exercised wrongly.

He lamented what he termed as the biased and inexperienced nature of the panel.

“There are some experienced judges who should have been part of this team. Justice Dotse, Justice Baffoe Bonnie should have been part of this because they were part of the 2012 election petition and their experiences would be key to the determination of this matter .

“This is not a panel that will sit on the case. This is a panel that will determine the application. We cannot question that directly. I told you that it is the right of the Chief Justice to empanel but that right of the Chief Justice can be questioned. We would want the panel to reflect a balanced panel.”

Mr. Mahama and the NDC challenged the 2020 presidential election saying it was flawed.

Mr. Mahama maintains that neither he nor President Akufo-Addo attained a clear majority during the polls because of the omission of the Techiman South constituency from the provisional declaration of results.

According to the Electoral Commission, President Akufo-Addo garnered 51.59 percent of the votes while Mr. Mahama got 47.37 percent.

Mr. Mahama is now asking the Supreme Court to order a re-run of the presidential election for him and the incumbent.

The Supreme Court has granted a request by Mr. Mahama for an amendment of some errors in his petition.

It has also granted a motion for a live telecast of the hearing.

The Court resumes sitting next Tuesday.

— citinewsroom

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